About Pine & Plum

Pine & Plum is an independent editorial resource based in Florence, Italy. The site documents practical aspects of raccolta selvatica — the collection of wild plants, berries and fungi — with a focus on species found in Italian woodland and hillside environments.

Content on this site covers plant identification, seasonal harvest windows, regional regulations and safe practice in the field. All material is produced and reviewed by contributors with direct experience of Italian foraging habitats, regional legislation and botanical taxonomy.

What this site covers

The editorial scope is deliberately narrow: wild species growing in Italy that are established in local culinary and ethnobotanical traditions. The site does not cover cultivated herbs, farmed mushrooms or species outside Italy's biogeographic range.

Three main areas form the core of the reference:

• Edible wild herbs found in woodland edges, meadows and hillsides — from coastal Liguria to the Alpine foothills
• Edible and toxic fungi of Italian forests, with habitat notes, seasonality and lookalike warnings
• The regulatory framework governing personal-use foraging under Italian and regional law

Editorial approach

Articles are structured around practical field information rather than general botanical overviews. Where identification is discussed, the focus is on features observable without laboratory equipment — cap morphology, spore print colour, habitat association, growth pattern. Toxicity warnings are included for any species with a documented dangerous lookalike.

Information on regulations reflects the most recently published regional ordinances at the time of writing. Laws change seasonally and vary considerably between regions and protected areas. Readers should verify current rules with the relevant regional authority or Carabinieri Forestali before collecting.

Disclaimer

Content on Pine & Plum is for informational purposes only. Identification of wild species carries inherent risk. Pine & Plum Editorial SRL accepts no liability for any harm, injury or loss arising from the use or misuse of information on this site. Before consuming any wild-collected plant or fungus, consult a qualified mycologist or botanist and cross-reference with authoritative regional field guides.

Contact

Pine & Plum Editorial SRL
Via delle Erbe Selvatiche 14
50122 Florence (FI), Italy
P.IVA IT06712380481

Email: info@pineandplum.eu
Phone: +39 055 239 8741

External references

For authoritative guidance on safe foraging and plant toxicology in Italy, the following sources are recommended:

• Italian Ministry of Health (Ministero della Salute) — national health guidance including mycological poisoning data
• Carabinieri Forestali — enforcement of forestry and environmental regulations
• Società Botanica Italiana — botanical taxonomy and flora of Italy